British Journal of English Linguistics
Vol.3, No.2, pp.1-5, May 2015
Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org)
NEO-COLONIALISM IS A STAGE DESIGNED BY COLONIAL POWERS TO GIVE
THE COLONIZED AN ILLUSION OF FREEDOM: A NEO COLONIAL ANALYSIS
OF THINGS FALL APART
Maria Aftab
M.Phil Candidate
University of Sargodha, Women Campus, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
Anila Jamil
Lecturer in English Literature
University of Sargodha, Women Campus, Faisalabad, Pakistan.
ABSTRACT: This research paper aims at exploring how neo-colonialism is an indirect
survival of colonial system. The assumptions of Nkrumah and Young along with the supporting
views of Sarte and Bhaba regarding neo-colonialism have been used as a major theoretical
framework for this paper. The novel Things Fall Apart (1958) has been chosen to show that
neo-colonialism is in fact killing of two birds with one stone. It shows that how white men
indirectly started working on colonizing the minds of people. The new globe order does not
allow the direct rule therefore specific local bourgeoisie class plays the role of middle man in
transferring the nation’s wealth and resources to the ex-colonizers.
KEYWORDS: Indirect rule, colonialism, Young, Neo-colonialism.
INTRODUCTION
While using neo-colonial theory, the present study describes how neo-colonialism is the
primary effective enemy of the countries. In fact it is a kind of master slave relationship
between the colonizers and colonized. The term neo-colonialism was first founded by
‘Ghanaian President Nkrumah’. Nkrumah (1965) believed that neo-colonialism is a fake
illusion of freedom in reality it was a planned shift from old to the new order of ruling. So the
words of Cuban revolutionary are very much justified in saying that example of
underdeveloped truth are colonial, semi-colonial or dependent countries. These African
countries are those whose economies have been distorted by imperialism who are abnormally
domestic developed where the branches of industry or agriculture to complement its
multifarious economy. It is clear that how African countries were exploited by white man for
his colonial interests. Hence it is very justified from these words that imperialist’s countries
have now puppet of neo-colonialism for their vested interests. As Said (Culture and
Imperialism, 1994) mentioned ‘that the difference in the modern period between the modern
imperialists and the Romans is that the Romans were there just for the look. They were just
stealing but we go there with an idea”. It is obvious from this ironical statement that what kind
of idea European imperialists have behind the exploitation. It is quite clear that white man has
always given fake justifications for his illegal rule in the colonized countries. Here we can
sensitize the differentiating nature of white man that their rule is better than Romans. Every act
of favor takes the colonized in ‘Heart of Darkness’. The main purpose of the neo-colonialism
is to make people unchained slaves to the imperialistic powers and to create situations more
difficult for the colonized countries where they will never be able to get freedom (Young, 1995,
p.7).
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ISSN 2055-6063(Print), ISSN 2055-6071(Online)
British Journal of English Linguistics
Vol.3, No.2, pp.1-5, May 2015
Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org)
From past to present, many Asian and African countries have been a victim to white ‘man’s
psyche’ in which it is rooted that” if there be various species of mankind there must be a natural
aristocracy among them a dominant white species as opposed to the lower races who by their
origin are destined to serve the nobility of mankind, and may be tamed, trained and used like
domestic animals’’. So here one can trace the very roots of power dominated exploitation which
resulted first in the form of colonialism than it took the shape of indirect rule (Neo-colonialism).
In the novel Things Fall Apart white man’s intentions we see the clash of two cultures and we
also observe that how white man’s psyche dominates in Ibo society.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Achebe in the whole novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ remains concerned with the issue of clash
between old and new order or between cultural differences. We see in the novel how things fall
apart with the arrival of white men in Africa and with the introduction of his policies. The
conflict of the novel vested in Okonkwo which starts from the series of crushing blows which
are leveled at traditional values by an alien and more powerful culture causing in the end the
traditional society falling apart. Their indirect behavior of white men shows that Ibo culture is
very much ugly and unsatisfactory. The novel Things Fall Apart deals with the reality of change
that ruins the life of Ibo people (www.sparknotes.com). The villagers caught in a confusion
and they were not in a position to accept the reality of change. (The Effects of colonialism in
Things Fall Apart,2015)states that Christianity was intriguing with the lives of tribal people
and took them away from their family and cultural traditions. Many boundaries were broken in
every belief. An example of this was that newly converted Ibo people were killing their honored
snakes and even they gave up their families without any reason. So it is very much clear that
how neo-colonial power shattered the roots of tribal people and the new tribal people were total
opposite in comparison to the old villagers.
The British also occupy the minds of people through fear, trade, education and treachery. The
Ibos are afraid of the whites because the massacre at Abame and the ability to survive in the
Evil Forest in Mbanta proves that the white man’s influence is very much strong. Further,
soldiers back up the rule of the district commissioners and the word of the court messengers.
Another incentive to accept the British is the desire for wealth and materialistic gains because
white men introduces his fake policies in very impressive ways that tribal people started
believing that if they wanted to get advanced then they will have to accept the foreign education
and manners. So majority started believing in the teachings of Mr. Brown (Wren,1981, p. 16).
Bohaen (as cited in Parry, 2006) stated that “In some respects the impact of colonialism was
deep and certainly destined to affect the future course of events”. People lost their identities as
Africans. In Achebe Things Fall Apart the newly converted were imparted policies which
might train or tame them to renounce their life style as traditions advances the cause of colonial
education and policy.
METHODOLOGICAL AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
My methodology is based upon the idea that how white man intrudes into the culture of clan.
All the positive aspects of Ibo society were tarnished with the arrival of white man into their
land. The tribal people were satisfied were satisfied with their lives before the coming of
external forces. But these white forces created mess with the lives of tribal people and departed
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ISSN 2055-6063(Print), ISSN 2055-6071(Online)
British Journal of English Linguistics
Vol.3, No.2, pp.1-5, May 2015
Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org)
them among themselves. White man cleverly created conflict of identity into the lives of Ibo
people. They were arrested in a confusion of right or wrong that is their culture too old and
barbaric should be removed from the map of the world. Fanon (The Wretched of the Earth,
1961) states that how wickedly white man distorted our unity and our national identity. They
make us realized that our forefathers were barbaric and non-civilized people and they are a
source of shame for us. So you should not follow the old barbaric customs of your elders. In
fact you should adopt our ways of life that are modern enough to civilize you.
Nkrumah (1965) states that indirect rule is more useful than the direct rule and it helps the
imperial powers to employ their own policies for the sake of their material interests. We have
the example of missionaries who tactfully employed their Christian manners and change the
map of African people. Young(2003) stated that Colonialism is not fully ended rather it gives
the guarantee of false freedom and shifts the government in the hands of local elite class the
bourgeoisie who are foreign qualified and are less inclined to the promotion of local culture
and political independence. The main theme of neo-colonialism is “divide and rule here”
(Sartre, 2001, p.139). Neo-colonialism brings so many problems like economical political and
social evils which give people inferiority complex stricken leaders. Between the former and
the latter, corrupt knights, feudal landowners” (Sartre, 2001p.139). Bhaba (The Location of the
Culture, 1994) also discusses the issues like hybridity and mimicry that is brought by the
colonial powers how. Supportive ideas of Young (2003) along with Sartre (2001) relating to
neo-colonialism have been explained to throw some light on imperialist’s nation’s role in the
destruction of a society and its traditions. The idea of divide and rule is related with the thinking
of white man. Race was the first and foremost idea behind which these theories are formed.
Young states that White culture was considered as the basis for the ideas of legitimate
governments (Young, 2003). He further explains that it is the deplorable dilemma that states
are still in clutches of neo-colonialism. Side by side we have the ideas of Sartre(2001) who
states that colonialism is not over rather it has shifted the government in the hands of few
wealthy local people who serve as a local merchant acting as a middle man between foreign
producers and a local market. They believed that European imperialism is one of the worst
things in the history of mankind.
ANALYSIS
We have taken some extracts from the novel ‘Things Fall Apart’ for the analysis to show that
how the old traditions of Ibo society were replaced with the coming of new powerful culture.
Said (Orientalism, 1995) states that the main focus behind the indirect rule is that Europe is the
centre of everything. Everything in them is full of authority. Power is everywhere and
knowledge is power so white man believed that they have the superior knowledge and it is their
moral duty to enlighten the’ others’ having inferior knowledge. When there is a clash present
in the culture then the people are distorted and divided into different groups. Actually they are
the product of hybrid culture.
Neo-colonialism debases the culture by introducing its exploiting policies. The character
depicted was a man of courage even he did not lose heart in bad times but coming of white man
destroyed the whole life of a brave person. While on the other hand his own son first adopted
Christianity. As Obierika says that “white man put a knife on the things that held us together
and we have fallen apart”. The knife of the white man supporting the cause of missionary policy
attacked on the culture of Ibo society and cut it to bleed and die. The people of Ibo society were
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ISSN 2055-6063(Print), ISSN 2055-6071(Online)
British Journal of English Linguistics
Vol.3, No.2, pp.1-5, May 2015
Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org)
free in appearance but in reality they were facing the challenges of imperialist powers. External
forces stepped into their happy lives and created disturbances and problems.
Through the character of Mr. James we feel the true sense of colonial manners. The novel is
the exercise of realizing the fact that Africans have lost their roots and neo-colonialism has
made its place in the land. They propagated the gospel of Christianity and attracted a large no
of Ibo people. The converts turned into enemies and clash of opinions was a routine matter.
Oberika remarked that his own men and son took place of strangers. In neo-colonial conditions,
the gap between powerful and weaker increases. Actually people himself were giving place to
neo colonial powers by adopting by adopting white man’s manners and assimilating in them
their main stream of culture and religion. Neo-colonialism gave birth to the local elites in the
novel who were foreign educated and colonially trained “may therefore less inclined towards
local culture and political independence (Ashcroft et all,2001).
As a result of this indirect rule this elite class comes with the borrowed identity and manners
that produces havoc in the lives of other people (Loomba, 1998). Similar is the case with the
tribal people who were foreign educated stricken leaders who did nothing to the life of a brave
man Okonkwo.The very attitude of adopting foreigner ways of life was the root cause for things
to be fall apart. In Africa, Mr. James used every strategy to have full control over the country.
He divided things into black and white called the Ibo people the sons of darkness and created
a thinking among the people that their culture is inferior and urge people have the knowledge
of foreign education if they want to become superior and advanced.Mr Smith’s bitter and rigid
policies disturbed the lives of people at a greater level. The impact of foreign education and
culture “further transformed their mentality” (Rodney, 1981, p.275).
Imperialists have made neo-colonialism as an ideological war which can never be winning
without promoting local traditions and culture. Rondey (1981:p275) observes that African
dependency has created neo-colonial class and people who manipulated the colonial economic
structure for their own benefits. In Mission to Kala, the colonial authorities nominate the chief
of Vimili who goes on to live an opulent life at the expense of the people. Colonial education
produces black elite’s aliens on the map of the world. At each and every level of neo-colonial
policy whether it is education the elites are much indebted to the imperialistic powers to sustain
an imported life style. Neo colonial period brings the fruits of social economic problems and
inferiority complex.Mr Brown is first missionary who first came in the Ibo society. He was
very kind soft hearted and gentle person. He used to listen the views of elders in the Ibo society
and respected tribal religion. He built up many hospitals and buildings in Mbnata.But we can
clearly see the wicked behavior of Mr. Brown that how cunningly he fulfilled his material
interests and the majority of tribal people accepted Christianity as a religion. He used indirect
policies to gain his material interests. His soft behavior does indicate that his basic purpose
behind the disguise of gentleness was to create identity conflicts among the tribal people. So it
was the indirect policy of Mr. Brown through which he produced hybridized people. At the end
of the story Obierika blamed District Commissioner ‘that man was one of the greatest man in
Umuofia.You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog’. The neo-colonial
forces joined hand in hand with social obligations and expectations things indeed fall separated
to Okonkwo who suffers terribly and finally destroyed.
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ISSN 2055-6063(Print), ISSN 2055-6071(Online)
British Journal of English Linguistics
Vol.3, No.2, pp.1-5, May 2015
Published by European Centre for Research Training and Development UK (www.eajournals.org)
CONCLUSION
Colonialism was a direct rule but after the world wars the First World War (1914-1918) and
the Second World War (1939-1945) colonial powers changed their manner of authority by
placing the puppet of neo-colonialism. They use capitalistic policies globalization in order to
open new markets for their business and products. (Sipvak, 1991).Same is the case with the Ibo
people where the arrival of white man is the root cause of separation. With the usage of their
capitalistic social policies missionaries were got succeed in their mission.
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